Issues: Government Operations

Since 1999, 20 Albany politicians have resigned or lost elections after run-ins with the law or ethical failures – and that number may climb higher after the recent political scandals.    

In total, the state has paid out $4.3 million in pension costs to 14 of those 20 individuals. 

Kennedy: Crooked politicians shouldn’t be able to pay their debt to society behind bars while simultaneously being paid by the very society they ripped off. It needs to stop.

The New York State Senate today passed legislation (S.2233), sponsored by Senator  Joseph Griffo (R-C, Rome), to create a new website, ResultsNY.gov, that would enable the public to review the performance of government programs to see how effectively agencies are spending tax dollars.   People visiting the site could also submit their own suggestions and recommendations on how to stop government waste and reduce state spending.

Budget Includes Senate Republican Proposals For Tax Relief To Create Jobs & To Help Middle Class Families; 

Keeps State Spending Growth Below 2% Again

BUDGET PLAN WOULD CHANGE THE STATE’S FILM PRODUCTION TAX CREDIT TO LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR WNY

The New York State Senate today approved a 2013-14 budget resolution, proposed by the Senate Majority Coalition, that focuses on helping businesses create new jobs, investing additional funds in education and transportation, providing mandate relief to local governments, and restoring proposed cuts to women’s health programs as well programs for the developmentally disabled.  The budget also includes proposals to implement a two-percent state spending cap and reform the State’s film production tax credit program to level the playing field for Upstate.

A Fiscally Responsible Approach to Job Creation

Senate Republican Conference Leader Dean Skelos and members of the Senate Republican conference today announced a bold and sweeping job creation plan to improve New York’s business climate so it not only keeps up with other states, but surpasses them. Among other things, the “Senate Republican Blueprint for Jobs: ReThink. ReVitalize. ReBuild.” would cut taxes for one million small businesses and reduce energy costs for every business and residential ratepayer in New York, saving them $2.5 billion.